Aberdeen University’s free student halls plan ‘is flawed’

The University of Aberdeen has offered applicants from certain areas a free year in halls of residenceRex Features

A university scheme offering teenagers from deprived areas free accommodation is flawed, an MSP has said.

Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, said that the scheme excludes poor students from areas that are nonetheless richer on average, such as his constituency.

The University of Aberdeen has offered applicants from certain areas a free year in halls of residence, a potential saving of £5,700.

The government has told all Scottish universities to ensure 10 per cent of students are from the poorest areas by 2021. However poverty is defined as living in the poorest 20 per cent of Scottish postcodes, based on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD). This was too broad, Mr Scott said.

“There are children and young people from deprived backgrounds in almost…

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